Gossamer Reflections
by inescapable
Summary: They were going to get married.  He left, without a word.  Two years later he is back, but she’s moved on. OOC SasuHina, AU, Present Day Fic[WIP] Rated M: For Future Violence
1. Prologue

AN: I'm completely new to writing in this fandom, though I've read a lot of stories. I am in no means claiming I'm a good writer, and to be honest, I'm just a university student that is writing for fun. I know my writing isn't fantastic, and it may be ungrammatical and choppy at times. I know characters are totally OOC, but this is also a modern day fiction, and they are older (about 22-23 yrs). I try hard to keep characters somewhat the same, but it never comes out that way. I used to write Dark Angel fanfiction way back when, I like to think I've improved since then. I also used to write original fiction and this was intended to be original as well. However, I found that I was molding the characters against Sasuke, Hinata and Naruto, so I thought I'd give Naruto Fanfiction a try.

I disclaim anything that isn't mine.

Note: _Italicized_ are flashbacks/moments in the past. Un-_italicized_ normal font is present day.

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_Gossamer Reflections: The Prologue_

"Brendan?" She opened the door. "Did you forget something?"

Upon seeing who it was she took a step back in surprise. "O-Oh Y-you're not Brendan." She stuttered.

"Hi, Hinata."

"Sasuke, what are you doing here?" She was reminded of the encounter they had a couple weeks ago. She had been merely walking along the sidewalk of the city's downtown, when she saw the dark figure, amongst the crowd, that struck her paralyzed.

_Silver eyes widened in recognition. Her senses narrowed allowing the people around her to fade, until it was just the two of them facing each other, a block of sidewalk separating them. _

_It had been almost two years since she had last seen him, and he still looked the same. His ebony hair was still gorgeously tousled and she imagined the texture would feel the same against her fingertips. Shadows still clung to his chiseled features, and his eyes, she anticipated, still dark and smoldering. _

_Hinata's breath hitched in her throat as she was sure he had seen her. Her eyes locked on his, but unlike the many times their gazes held each others, his was looking past her, staring blankly at what was ahead. She turned away, allowing the many people around her to filter into her senses, not wanting to meet him again at that very moment. She wasn't sure how she would react—wasn't sure if she was ready. With that thought Hinata walked into the closest boutique to avoid the man, who, seconds later, passed by. She watched as he only stared ahead, never once looking, into the small boutique and, upon the face of the woman he was once engaged to._

_She grabbed the nearest shirt, not caring about the size, or whether if it was for the right gender and promptly asked to try it on. Closing the mirrored door with steady hands, she took a step backwards. Then a few more steps. Hinata felt her back hit against the change room wall and she felt herself tremble. _

_Why? _

_Questions resounded in her mind._

_Why now?_

_Why when everything was starting to be okay again?_

"I was driving and I had the urge to come here…."

He wore a black V-neck t-shirt under a charcoal grey blazer which matched his pants. His facial expression was neutral and impassive. His weight rested on his left foot, while his hands hung loosely at his side. She could tell immediately how he had changed. Sasuke's relaxed posture contrasted with his cold demeanor. Or maybe it was because they had lost the trust they had with one another. They weren't strangers, and they weren't friends either.

"Naruto said you still lived here." He added. His voice startled her, shocking her, fraying her nerves.

He was back. She felt faint.

_She slammed the door behind her in her haste to wring his neck. Hinata looked straight into his bewildered azure eyes. _

_Without greeting him, she launched into a tirade. 'He's back!'_

_The loudness of her voice surprised him, pushing him back into his leather swivel chair._

'_You!' She pointed at him, effectively shocking him again. 'You should have told me. But no, I just happen to be walking downtown and who do I see? __Him_ _walking down the same street.' _

_She was pacing now. _

'_You're lucky he didn't see me. __I'm__ lucky he didn't see me….' _

_Naruto watched her walk back and forth afraid of interrupting her. He made himself a mental note to call his secretary and asking her to get the carpet people over to fix the hole._

'…_how long has he been here?' She didn't let him answer. 'I bet he's been here months! My god,' she gasped, 'he's been here months hasn't he?'_

_She smoothed down the wrinkles forming on her grey pencil skirt, and tugged at the hem of her lavender blouse._

'_Or wait, maybe he didn't leave at all!' _

'_Of course!' she brought her arms up, and then allowed them to fall in front of her. Her hands grasping one another as she wrung them in a nervous habit. _

'_Why didn't I think of that? It's been two years and he probably moved a block away. He knows my schedule, avoiding me won't be hard. Right?' Again she didn't let him answer her rhetorical question, and continued pacing. 'Wait, that's impossible. You said he left to L.A.'_

_Hinata paused, finding that she had allowed her thoughts to wander. She ran her hands over her face and through her long black hair. An audible breath escaped her lips and her thick bangs fell back into place. She swiveled on her foot and turned, once again, she pointed an accusatory finger at Naruto. _

'_You!' An angry glint sparkled in her silver eyes. 'Why didn't you tell me?'_

_Naruto waited longer than usual to make sure she was actually going to allot some time for him to respond. 'I didn't think it was a good idea to let you know.'_

'_Naruto, he left me. I'd like to know when the man that caused me immense grief is around, so I don't have to be near him.'_

'_I'm sorry Hinata. I just thought it would be better if you didn't know. Then nothing for you would change, you wouldn't be brought back to that place you were in two years ago. I didn't want to have a nervous breakdown like you just had now.' He gestured to the expanse of carpet she'd burned a hole in while pacing._

_Hinata sighed. She knew, when she walked into his office that she was angry, but any bit of anger she had was dissipating. Replacing the anger was embarrassment, and red tinged her cheeks. She was, after all, supposed to be the sensible one. _

'_Everything was finally falling into place, and now that he's back it's all just upside down.'_

_Naruto combed back his blond spiked hair and smiled gently at her._

_She caught the meaning in his eyes. 'I overreacted didn't I?' _

'_Well, I would have liked to see you calmer. You surprised me there Hinata.'_

'_I just don't know how it's going to be when I actually come face to face with him. I want to be angry with him but what I really want to do is ask him, why?'_

_She took a deep breath, and sat down on the brown leather seat in front of Naruto's dark mahogany desk. _

'_I need to let this all go. I need to leave it all behind.' She said aloud to herself. 'I need to stop asking why, and just—just accept it.' _

_She let out a breath. 'Anyway, I'm going on another date with Brendan. I'm going to have fun!' She nodded, a small smile spreading across her delicate features. 'No more thoughts of…'_

'_Ahem!' Naruto cleared his throat loudly and gestured to the door behind her. _

_Hinata craned her neck to look behind her. Her gaze landed on none other than the man who she had been agonizing about moments earlier. _

"…_cheese." She turned back to Naruto and finished her sentence. Her cheeks blushed red at the word that slipped out. She mentally hit herself upside the head and proceeded to make things worse. 'That blue cheese I had for lunch was just gross. Remind me never to get anything with blue cheese on it again.' Embarrassment flooded her senses. It took all her will power not to bury her reddened face in her hands and hide in shame._

_Sorry I'm late.' A new voice cut in—Sasuke's voice. He sounded calm and cool, as if he didn't hear a word she said; or rather he ignored her words. He strode forward and placed a hand on the back of Hinata's chair. She tensed hoping it was unnoticeable._

'_Hinata.' He spoke her name monotonously in greeting._

_She looked up at him, following him, as he sat down in the empty chair beside her._

'_Sasuke.' She responded, thanking god that her voice sounded normal. She took a glance back at Naruto who had stayed uncharacteristically quiet. 'I guess I'll… uh… leave now.' _

_She got up and turned to leave. _

'_Bye Naruto.' _

_Reaching the door, she turned her head slightly as if she meant to look back. 'Sasuke.' She said in finality, and closed the door behind her._

They stood in silence.

He took a deep breath, casted his gaze downward then looked back up catching her grey eyes with his onyx ones, he released his breath. "I'm sorry."

And there it was. Everything they had gone through summed up in two words.

The words washed over her like a cold wave. She had waited to hear those words for the last two years from the man standing before her, but it did not hold the same impact she thought it would. She didn't know what she thought, or how to feel.

"I…" She started. Her voice faltered, trailing off and leaving nothing but silence behind. They stood gazing at one another in the threshold of what used to be their home.

"I guess…" She started again stumbling on the words that formed in her brain. The words fell out of her mouth without much thought. "I guess th-that's just it."

Those words, she thought, were unintelligible. She wasn't sure what they meant herself.

His gaze lingered on her, taking her words in. Although he did not give any physical indications of a reaction, he was surprised to say the least. He had thought that, even if she had always been kind and quiet and very shy, she would have reacted in some form of anger.

"That's just it?" He asked, repeating her words. "You're not angry?"

Her hand which had been resting on the silver door knob dropped to her side. "You had to do what you had to do."

He nodded, his bangs falling over his eyes. He should have expected this from her. She had always wanted to understand and not burden others by judging or rushing into assumptions. He had thought that he was the exception—they had been too close for her not to ask questions. Maybe he had been gone too long. He had given her time to think, time to move on – time to become indifferent. It stung him a little that she didn't question him, and ask him _why, _because if she did at least he would know she still cared.

This encounter was what he had pictured years ago, when he had made the decision to leave. It had been what he wanted for her.

'_His name's Brendan Morris err… Morrison. Eh,' Naruto shrugged, 'it's the same thing. Anyway, he's cute if you like the blond hair, blue eyed thing.' _

_Sasuke didn't respond._

'_Well, why wouldn't you? It's the ideal combination if you ask me.' Naruto grinned._

He wanted her to move on, leave him behind and be happy.

'_You don't have to worry about her Sasuke. He's a good guy. Hinata seems to like him and in my opinion he's… Naruto Approved!'_

Why, then, did it sting to hear that she didn't care? More than that, why did it sting to finally get confirmation that she had moved on.

The silence was beginning to create an uncomfortable atmosphere. They had been standing at the entrance of the apartment for ten minutes now.

It felt longer.

"Yeah." He acknowledged. "I needed to…." He thought over his words carefully,  
"…do something."

She wanted to ask him what it was that he needed to do. She wanted to ask him why he had to leave the way he did, but she had promised herself, that she needed to let it go. She needed to let _him_ go. So she let his last statement fall into silence.

"I just wanted to apologize." He voiced his words in finality. "I'll see you around probably…."

"I think I'm staying in town for a bit." He added.

He stuffed a hand into his charcoal pin striped pants, and shifted his weight onto his right foot.

"Ye-yeah." She breathed. "I guess I will."

He nodded. His lips moved faintly upward and he turned to leave. She brought her hand from her side and began pushing the door shut. Leaning forward she watched him walk away.

He stopped abruptly and turned back to look at her, now a face wedged in the open gap of the closing door. "I'm sorry I hurt you Hinata." His voice was low, but she caught every word. With that he turned and left.

He didn't look back.

Hinata hadn't noticed that she was trembling until she finally pulled herself away. All she could do was turn and press her back against the door. She leaned against it feeling the thud and hearing the click as the door closed. Her legs suddenly felt weak and she slid down the vertical surface. With shaking hands she covered her face and closed her eyes. In her heart, there was a storm. Pain she thought she had forgotten surged towards the surface.

Yes, she acknowledged, he had hurt her.

Immensely.

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AN: Just to let you know I probably won't update in a long time… but I thought I'd put this up before I change my mind. Just want some thoughts on the WIP. Be nice, and constructive if you are going to review. I can't improve my writing if people just write that it sucks… tell me why it sucks!


	2. Chapter 1

_Gossamer Reflections: Chapter 1: Brendan Morris err… Morrison_

Often he would see her sitting on the wooden bench, in the courtyard, in front of the business and economics building, with a thick biology textbook resting on her lap. The very first time he walked by, he noted a figure sitting there— under the large oak tree with leaves that shielded the sun. Many times he would speed by on account of being late for class. It was probably the eighth time he briskly passed by that he began to notice her. Her hair was dark—a black that was almost dark charcoal-grey-purple in the sun. An impossible combination he thought. But what did he know about genetics? It created a harshness against her complexion—the girl was fair skinned, almost porcelain-like in her delicate features. The way she held herself together, her posture straight, her shoulders back and her feet resting comfortably to the side, emoted a sense of elegance. She appeared quiet, soft, and before long, he began to look forward to going to his economics class just to get a glimpse of her.

It had taken till the end of that summer semester to muster up the courage to approach her because one, she was probably attached and two, she was out of his league. He knew that he wasn't a bad looking guy; he had his fair share of girls appreciating his appearance—at least that was what his best friend Sheri told him, put more eloquently of course. Still, he thought of himself as pretty average; nothing really stood out about him. He was popular only because he was a starter in the varsity soccer team, and because he was in varsity it boosted him up a rung in the hierarchical ladder. So maybe he did a few things going for him, if of course it mattered to her, which he had a feeling that it didn't. When Brendan went to her usual place of study, the bench stood in front of the oak tree as usual but it was empty. He was let down, disappointed even, and chalked it up as a turn in fate.

It was never meant to be.

In the fall semester, about three months later, he found himself early for once. Having awoken at the wrong time, because he forgot to reset his alarm the night before, he decided to head out to campus early. Maybe he could get some studying done (which to him was highly unlikely). Being in a college environment, even if he didn't study, made him feel scholarly as if he really was a good student after all. Like most college students, good or not, caffeine was a godsend and for him, it made up for being awake at the ungodly hour of eight thirty in the morning. To him caffeine and early mornings cancelled each other out.

He went to the campus café and bought himself a croissant and black coffee. Brendan's pale blue eyes scanned the seats in the café and although small, he was surprised to see that all the tables were filled so early in the morning. He was about to leave and find a place to sit in one of the campus buildings when he saw her, the girl with dark hair and pale skin; the one with the quiet beauty. She was the girl that intrigued him, whom he used to see every Tuesday before his economics class. There she was, sitting with yet another book in front of her. Her head was propped up with her hand, her elbow resting on the table surface. A highlighter was poised in her right hand, the tip ready to be dropped on the page inking, in bright yellow, words of importance. She was studying again.

He wasn't sure if he should disturb her, he didn't want to, but he couldn't allow this opportunity to become a missed one. So, instead of leaving like his brain told him to, he approached her and asked if he could sit with her. She looked up at him, her arm dropped down to her lap.

A small smile graced her lips, "s-sure," she replied, startled out of study-mode.

Pulling out the empty wooden seat in front of her, he plopped down trying to keep as casual as he could. It was hard—not picking girls up (not that that wasn't hard, or that he was doing that)—but talking, approaching, making new friends. It wasn't his strong suit. Still, he found a way to keep a conversation with her.

Then, as an afterthought at an end of a lengthy discussion, he introduced himself, "I'm Brendan, by the way, Brendan Morales. It's nice to meet you."

The yellow highlighter was dropped between the pages. "I'm Hinata."

Their conversation resumed.

The textbook closed.

This was how Brendan Morales and Hinata Hyuuga became acquaintances.

It wasn't till after they found themselves in the same English class the next semester, an elective to fulfill requirements towards graduation, that they became friends. Late night study sessions, and all nighters solidified a growing friendship. They instant messaged each other the importance of a quote by Oscar Wilde, or as each one's page total went towards the allotted limit of their essays due the next day, they texted to one another words of encouragement.

Months later, after the class was over and before Brendan's pending graduation he confessed that yes, he had feelings for her and yes, he wanted to date her. At first Hinata refused, she liked having a friend and didn't want to ruin the friendship they were building. Nonetheless, he was convincing and _very cute_, and before long they agreed to take the relationship slow, after all, she wasn't sure if she was ready to be invested in a serious romance.

Brendan, because he was a nice guy replied, "it's okay Hinata. I understand. I don't want to push you."

It warmed her heart.

It gave her the warm fuzzies and a smile involuntarily appeared on her face. Just like that, they began their tentative romance.

Months after they began their relationship, two days after her encounter with Sasuke, Hinata had a date planned with Brendan.

Brendan stood outside her apartment building. He wanted to fidget. Instead, he stuffed his hands into the navy hooded sweater he wore and waited some more. Normally, he would have gone up to her apartment, but she had told him to wait outside the building because she would be right out.

Only, she wasn't 'right' out.

A few people walked by, but he kept his gaze on the glass doors of Hinata's apartment building. Seeing movement on the other side, he straightened up but slouched in disappointment. It was an elderly couple inching slowly through the threshold, a walker in the elder woman's hands.

He tapped his foot on the concrete pavement in an imagined beat for a few more minutes. When he looked to the glass doors again, there she was walking through the door. She caught his eye and a smile lit her features and he gave her a crooked smile.

Her heart clenched as she walked up to him. And she couldn't help but mentally note how adorable he and his smile were.

Brendan's sand blond hair was spiked up, giving him slightly more height to his five foot ten frame. He had a long face, with a strong angular jaw. His naturally sculpted eyebrows arched upward framing eyes that crinkled when he smiled. He wore a hooded sweater, and faded blue jeans with intentional patches, and splatters.

"Hey."

"Hey." She replied back. His hand reached out of his pocket and clasped hers, intertwining their fingers, she joined him in walking to his black sedan parked a half a block away.

"So what are we going to do today?"

"I was thinking we could go to the park. It's nice out, we can do something simple before going to Naruto's for dinner tonight."

Hinata smiled. "Sure."

She felt anxious at the mention of Naruto's dinner party. Sasuke would be there and she hadn't told Brendan yet.

The park smelled of freshly cut grass. Wisps of horsetail clouds accented the jewel azure sky. The breeze rustled the tree leaves and gently caressed the tall grass. It was a beautiful day.

"Okay." Brendan exclaimed as they stopped at a grass field. He let his black duffle bag slide down his shoulder and onto the grass.

"I brought a soccer ball, if you want to kick it around, and there's a blanket in there that we can sit on."

"Sure. Just be nice. I'm not very good. I wasn't on any varsity soccer teams like _somebody_ I know."

Brendan unfolded the blue plaid blanket and laid it onto the grass. He crouched down with his bag in front of him and pulled out the ball. "Don't worry. We weren't very good at all."

Without notice she knocked the ball from Brendan's hands and onto the field. Grinning she jogged along with it, dribbling it between her feet.

Brendan caught up and ran along side her. They played 'one on one.'

Some time later she was sitting on her knees after trying to defend yet another shot on goal. The ball was behind her _again_ caught in the netting.

"That was not f-fair." She peered through her bangs up at a smirking Brendan.

"Sure it was."

"I can't bounce a ball and kick it in midair!"

"That was hardly in the air Hinata." Brendan laughed. "Please, your tactics are much more unfair."

"What tactics?"

"Oh come on, like you don't know how cute you are."

She couldn't help it. She blushed.

"Just admit it, you suck."

_Dark eyes penetrated her making her feel vulnerable._

_It wasn't the first time she wasn't chosen for a team in gym. And now, because she was the last to be chosen, she had to be partnered with him, the best athlete in school. It drew the ire of her classmates. _

"_But she sucks!" Her classmates protested. It shook her, adding to the already overflowing river of taunts. She looked down, her bangs shielding her tightly clenched eyes willing their voices to go away. _

"_Come on." He put the soccer ball into her hands which rolled from her fingertips to the grassy field. He didn't seem to notice as he kept walking farther into the field._

_The hurt ebbed away._

_Hinata watched Sasuke's retreating back for a moment before following slowly._

_She dribbled the ball twice before it hit the toe of her right sneaker and rolled off into the distance._

"_Wow, you really are useless aren't you?"_

_She mentally flinched. Why was he being so mean?_

_Sasuke jogged off in the direction of the ball and came back to her statuesque figure with soccer ball in hand. He dropped the ball down at her feet. "Let's play."_

_She looked down. Gingerly, Hinata nudged the ball with her sneaker clad foot. She looked at him nervously, she didn't want to play. "I'm not very good."_

"_So?" He weaved passed her and took the ball with him. "Try to get the ball from me."_

_She let a breath out. Running to catch up with him she remembered she promised herself that she was at least going to try her best. Whatever it was, she was going to improve or at least try to._

_Assuming her defensive position she shadowed him, keeping herself between the goal and him. _

_Then, in an instant, the ball went through her legs and past her into the mesh netting._

"_They're right, you suck."_

_She nodded in agreement, letting her bangs fall over her eyes. "I-I…" She trailed off unsure. Maybe he could help her. _

"_What?"_

"_I-I-I…. Uh-um."_

"_Spit it out."_

"_M-m-maybe you can help me… t-to get better I mean? I k-know I'm not good. I want to do better though."_

"_Get the ball, we'll start with drills…I need practice anyway."_

"Fine." Hinata looked at Brendan, shaking off the memory. "I told you I wasn't good." She smiled.

Brendan smiled back at her. "Come on, let's just relax."

Her smile fell as he turned.

It was probably time to tell him about Sasuke.

When she reached him he was sitting on the blanket. He had a bottle of water in one hand, and tossed another to her as she sat down beside him.

Hinata watched as large bubbles churned within the plastic bottle as he swallowed a few mouthfuls of water. She turned away, and looked into the distance. Hinata fiddled with her bottle for a bit, before allowing it to rest beside her, unopened.

"Aren't you thirsty?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah."

"Maybe you should drink some water then."

"Okay." She picked up her bottle and let it rest on her knee.

"It might help if you opened it and actually put the water into your mouth and swallow."

Brendan took the water from her grasp and twisted the white cap. "Here." He sighed. "Something is bothering you. What is it?"

She didn't take the offered beverage.

"I was just thinking of a way to tell you something. Because, well, because, it's kind of awkward."

"You can tell me anything."

She smiled. Sentiments like that made it so easy for her to like him. "It's just… you know tonight's dinner party at Naruto's?"

"Yeah?"

She let out a breath. She was just going to say it. "Well, um, my ex-fiancé is in town and well, he's going to be there."

He was silent.

"He's going to be there…" Hinata trailed off, then to fill the dreaded silence she added as an afterthought, "at Naruto's dinner party..."

She felt stupid repeating herself.

Brendan screwed the white top back onto the bottle then faced her. In the sunlight his eyes were azure, like the sky. "Yeah, that's going to be awkward for sure."

He gave her a shy smile. "But you and I, we're together right? And I'm not saying that it doesn't bother me, because it does, a little…."

"I trust you, Hinata."

"I trust you, so it's not a big deal."

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Sorry for the very long delay. I never expected it to be this long before I posted another chapter. The truth is my computer died, and I thought I saved what I wrote but that didn't happen so I lost a lot of the story. Rewriting the chapter was a pain and it's not the same as it was. But I posted it anyway.

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